Eileen is a high-energy, fun-loving force on Great Day SA, a journalist who knows how to tell a good story. Three years ago, she and photographer Andrew Norwood produced a moving piece about Philippine soldiers — “Scouts” — who suffered atrocities in concentration camps during World War II. The “Scouts” were granted U.S. citizenship after their release and became “Forgotten Heroes.” The story won a Lone Star Emmy (view story online).

A San Francisco Bay Area native, Eileen began her career as a production assistant in Florida. She became a reporter and part-time anchor in Midland, then left  for Altoona, Pa. There, she covered the rescue of nine trapped coal miners and reported on the one-year anniversary of United Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville on Sept. 11, 2001.

In 2003, Eileen got her local start with News 9 San Antonio. The 24-hour cable news station folded after 15 months,  Eileen moved to Great Day SA and became a never-sit-still professional. She’s run two marathons, 10 half marathons and teaches a cycling class four days a week.

How does she make time for school? Eileen is a Weekend College student. “I love the flexibility I have with my schedule,” she says. “When I realized classes met every other weekend, I knew this was the best fit for me.”

One challenge was making the time to enroll in OLLU’s Weekend College while juggling work, running and teaching. The solution: OLLU Corporate Relations Officer Roxanne Sanchez showed up at KENS-5 with the paperwork. “Roxanne directed me and showed me what to do next,” Eileen says.

The journey toward her MBA nearly complete, Eileen faces an exciting future with conflicting emotions. “When I went to campus for the start of the fall semester, I said, ‘Wow, this is probably the last time I’ll be here for registration,’” she says. “It was kind of bittersweet. I really enjoy going to school.”